By: Express News ServiceLudhiana | Updated: November 6, 2025 10:00 PM IST 2 min readCommission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) chairman Rajesh Verma. (Source: File)Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) chairman Rajesh Verma Thursday said that after “Green Revolution, now a Stubble Revolution is taking place in Punjab”.The CAQM chief’s remarks come when he was on a visit to Nabha and Rajpura Thermal Power Plants to review the process of mixing Biomass pellets with coal and to assess stubble management efforts in Patiala district. He was accompanied by CAQM member secretary Tarun Kumar Pithode.After reviewing the Nabha plant, Verma said that paddy straw has now become a source of income for farmers in Punjab. “After the Green Revolution, farmers are now moving towards a Stubble Revolution. This has resulted in a significant decline in paddy stubble burning incidents this year compared to previous seasons,” he said.Recalling his visit to Punjab on November 13 last year, he said, “At that time, smoke was visible everywhere, but today the sun is shining bright. Even fireworks were seen during Gurpurab celebrations Wednesday, a sign of clearer skies.”Verma was told that paddy stubble management season lasts for about 40 days, and the machines are idle for most of the year. To ensure optimal utilisation, the Punjab government had earlier experimented with using these machines for wheat straw management, which was not successful. Now, experiments are being conducted to handle sugarcane residue, which is expected to reduce machinery costs and enhance stubble management efficiency.Patiala Deputy Commissioner Preeti Yadav said that paddy harvesting in the district is nearly complete and 60 per cent of wheat sowing is over. She said that the district administration has worked extensively to raise awareness among farmers and provided them with stubble management machinery, along with behavioural changes in farmers and unions leading to a sharp decline in stubble burning cases.She added that 414 farm fires were reported by this time last year, against 168 cases so far this year. She added that farmers are being encouraged to adopt in-situ management methods instead of ex-situ, as it helps improve soil fertility and crop productivity.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:punjab news